The evening world., 1887-12-21
THE ETHICS OF SLUGGING.
A History of the Manly Art from the Times
of the Ancients.
[Boston Letter TO Chicago %Tribune.l

tBoston Letter to Chicago Tribune.l
An exhaustive treatise on the ethics and evolu-
ton OF boxing appeared to-day from the pen Of the
genial John Boyle O'Reilly, the poet-athiete He
traces the science Of modern sparrinR from the
first stages of pugilism among the ancient Greeks
and Romans Mir. O'Reilly gives to John L. Sui
Ivan the credit Of having done more to elevate the
art than any other man, in that he has established
the practice Of fighting as well as sparring with
large gloves. He has also crystallized, as 1t were,
the round blow, This blow is not sullivan's inven-
ton. In the times when the Greeks fought with
the cestus or armed glove 1t was the leading blow.
1t is, too. a blow which unskilfully delivered Is
more dangerous to the civer than to the receiver.
AS developed and ~practised by Sullivan 1t is safe to
himself and terrible to his opponent. Boxing by
Grecian athletes twenty-five centuries ago was
probably very similar to the boxing of to-day.
The contestants used bare hands, Afterwards the
knuckles with lead and iron, the object being to
slay rather than to score scientific points
Mr.. OReily states in considerable detail the pro-
cess Of training followed by the professional ath-
letes OF Greece and Rome, which did not mate
rally differ from the methods OF to-day, eXceprthat
meat was Bparingly eaten. Development Of the
muscles Of the arms and chest was produced by
delying in earth. Coming down TO modern times
Norman Conquest. The f%avaders deprived the
people as far as possible OF arms, and prohibited
i ms OF pT 1e 8 d an Warii to e sSSeS esac, LaSS
Fists succeeded bows, and the Riye-and-take Of
bare knuckles superseded the quarter-staf. James
Figg was the frat professional boxing teacher in
London. He nourished about 1870. Tradition de-
scribes him as a very scientific man, though there
were then no defined rules or limitations for tstic
contests. Jack Broughton was the author of the
nrst recognized rules OF the ring. He was the first
real lighting champion OF England. Until his rules
became recognized AZ authority (about lI49) men
| choked, wrestled, gouged and Kicked, or took any
other feasible method Of disabling an opponent.
| Broughton's rules changed this In a great measure.
Sketches Of some famous historical fights are
given In MI. O'Reilly's own inimitable STYLE. The
list includes the Slack-Petit mill In 1854; the Cooper
Dopnelly fight In 1915 on the Curragh OF Kildare:
another Oliver Donnelly match In 1919, on which
| science OF boxing has been mainly developed In the
last 100 years. The greatest boxers since the
| classic DAYS OF Greece are modern Englishmen and
| Iriahmen and their American descendants. No
previous English champion ever equalled Tom
bayers.
In familiar to all, but Mr.. o'Reilly places Sullivan
| easily at the head. His success Is not wholly attrib-
uted to his phenomenal strength. He is the most
skilfui boxer alive. He hits as straight and al
| most az rapidly as light There IL always fresh
| ness and variety In his blows. He stands FIRMLY
on his feet and strikes with MS whole welent ;
every motion is quick and with q purpose. Lastly,
he begins to light at the first movement He be-
| Wilders his opponent by the incessant rapidlty OF
his blows and their sledgehammer force: kilrain
Ia ranked next to Sullivan by MT. Okeliy. he ID
q superb pugilist, but makes the mistake OF De
aiming a night by sparring instead Oh ngntnG;
inestimable value as o means OF training, devel-
opment and discipline. OF boys and young men.
Every faculty OF the body is brougnt into play
and the mind Is naturally strengthened ana inVle-
GRATED by improving it, physical environment